diff --git a/crons/backup-log.sh b/crons/backup-log.sh
index c7c3408..1e8c8ae 100755
--- a/crons/backup-log.sh
+++ b/crons/backup-log.sh
@@ -1,16 +1,33 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 
-LOCATION=`dirname "$0"`
+backupDir="$1"
+backupType="$2"
 
-source "${LOCATION}/../config.sh"
+# load in defaults from config
+scriptRoot="$(dirname "$0")/.."
+configFile="$scriptRoot/config.sh"
+if [[ -f "$configFile" ]]; then
+    source "$configFile"
 
-cd "${BACKUP_DIRECTORY}"
+    if [[ -z "$backupDir" ]]; then
+        backupDir="$BACKUP_DIRECTORY"
+    fi
+    if [[ -z "$backupType" ]]; then
+        backupType="$PRUNE_TYPE"
+    fi
+fi
 
-backups=`find * -type f | sort | xargs du -h`
-echo "${backups}"
-${LOCATION}/../discord.sh block "${backups}"
+if [[ "$backupType" = "<DIR>" ]]; then
+    backups=$(find "$backupDir" -maxdepth 1 -type d | grep -v "^$backupDir$" | sort | xargs du -h --summarize)
+    hashes=""
+else
+    backups=$(find "$backupDir" -type f -name "$backupType" | sort | xargs du -h)
+    hashes=$(find "$backupDir" -type f -name "$backupType" | sort | xargs md5sum --tag)
+fi
 
-hashes=`find * -type f | sort | xargs md5sum --tag`
-echo "${hashes}"
-${LOCATION}/../discord.sh block "${hashes}"
+echo "$backups"
+if [[ -n "$hashes" ]]; then
+    echo "$hashes"
+fi
+"$scriptRoot/discord.sh" -c "mint" -t "Backup Status" "$backups" "$hashes"
 
diff --git a/crons/storage-alert.sh b/crons/storage-alert.sh
index c7204aa..8e5106e 100755
--- a/crons/storage-alert.sh
+++ b/crons/storage-alert.sh
@@ -1,23 +1,35 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 
-LOCATION=`dirname "$0"`
+locations="$@"
 
-source "${LOCATION}/../config.sh"
+# load in defaults from config
+scriptRoot="$(dirname "$0")/.."
+configFile="$scriptRoot/config.sh"
+if [[ -f "$configFile" ]]; then
+    source "$configFile"
 
-COUNT=1
-for index in "${!STORAGE_ALERT[@]}"; do
-    storage=`${LOCATION}/../storage.sh $index ${STORAGE_ALERT[$index]}`
-    alert=$?
-
-    if [[ "0" != "${alert}" ]]; then
-        echo "${storage} is below threshold ${STORAGE_ALERT[$index]}G"
-        ${LOCATION}/../discord-if-distinct.sh block "storage-${COUNT}" "${storage} is below threshold ${STORAGE_ALERT[$index]}G"
-    else
-        echo "${storage} is above threshold ${STORAGE_ALERT[$index]}G"
-
-        ${LOCATION}/../discord-if-distinct.sh block "storage-${COUNT}" "${storage} is above threshold ${STORAGE_ALERT[$index]}G"
+    if [[ -z "$locations" ]]; then
+        locations=${STORAGE_MONITOR[@]}
     fi
+fi
 
-    let "COUNT++"
+warn=false
+messages=()
+for index in "${!STORAGE_ALERT[@]}"; do
+    storage=$("$scriptRoot/storage.sh" "$index" "${STORAGE_ALERT[$index]}")
+    alert="$?"
+
+    if [[ "0" != "$alert" ]]; then
+        warn=true
+        messages+=("$storage is below threshold ${STORAGE_ALERT[$index]}G")
+    else
+        messages+=("$storage is above threshold ${STORAGE_ALERT[$index]}G")
+    fi
 done
 
+if [[ "$warn" = true ]]; then
+    purple="purple"
+fi
+
+printf "%s\n" "${messages[@]}"
+printf "%s\n" "${messages[@]}" | "$scriptRoot/discord.sh" -c "${purple-blue}" -d "Storage Alert"
diff --git a/crons/storage-log.sh b/crons/storage-log.sh
index d08de18..c603c96 100755
--- a/crons/storage-log.sh
+++ b/crons/storage-log.sh
@@ -1,11 +1,17 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 
-LOCATION=`dirname "$0"`
+locations="$@"
 
-source "${LOCATION}/../config.sh"
+# load in defaults from config
+scriptRoot="$(dirname "$0")/.."
+configFile="$scriptRoot/config.sh"
+if [[ -f "$configFile" ]]; then
+    source "$configFile"
 
-storage=`${LOCATION}/../df-custom.sh ${STORAGE_MONITOR[@]}`
+    if [[ -z "$locations" ]]; then
+        locations=${STORAGE_MONITOR[@]}
+    fi
+fi
 
-echo "${storage}"
-${LOCATION}/../discord.sh block "${storage}"
+"$scriptRoot/df-custom.sh" $locations | "$scriptRoot/discord.sh" -c "blue" -t "Storage Status"
 
diff --git a/crons/thermal-alert.sh b/crons/thermal-alert.sh
index 8953c5a..39a97c6 100755
--- a/crons/thermal-alert.sh
+++ b/crons/thermal-alert.sh
@@ -21,12 +21,12 @@ alert="$?"
 if [[ "0" -ne "$alert" ]]; then
     # if currently in an alert status
     alertLevelF=`echo "scale=1 ; $alertLevel * 9 / 5 + 32" | bc -l`
-    "$scriptRoot/discord.sh" "$thermal, above threshold $alertLevel C ($alertLevelF F)"
+    "$scriptRoot/discord.sh" -c "red" -t "Thermal Alert" "$thermal" $'\n' "above threshold $alertLevel C ($alertLevelF F)"
     touch "$HOME/.thermal.alert"
 elif [[ -f "$HOME/.thermal.alert" ]]; then
     # if previously in an alert status
     alertLevelF=`echo "scale=1 ; $alertLevel * 9 / 5 + 32" | bc -l`
-    "$scriptRoot/discord.sh" "$thermal, previously above threshold $alertLevel C ($alertLevelF F)"
+    "$scriptRoot/discord.sh" -c "orange" -t "Thermal Alert" "$thermal" $'\n' "previously above threshold $alertLevel C ($alertLevelF F)"
     rm "$HOME/.thermal.alert"
 fi
 
diff --git a/crons/thermal-log.sh b/crons/thermal-log.sh
index 7c6c4dc..fd2e509 100755
--- a/crons/thermal-log.sh
+++ b/crons/thermal-log.sh
@@ -2,7 +2,5 @@
 
 scriptRoot="$(dirname "$0")/.."
 
-thermal=$("$scriptRoot/thermal.sh")
-
-"$scriptRoot/discord.sh" "$thermal"
+"$scriptRoot/thermal.sh" | "$scriptRoot/discord.sh" -c "yellow" -t "Thermal Status"
 
diff --git a/discord-if-distinct.sh b/discord-if-distinct.sh
index f28ca9f..d66197e 100755
--- a/discord-if-distinct.sh
+++ b/discord-if-distinct.sh
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ if [ "${FULL_MESSAGE}" != "${OLD_MSG}" ]; then
     curl -s -H "Content-Type: application/json" -X POST -d "{\"username\": \"${DISCORD_SERVER_NAME}\", \"content\": ${MESSAGE}}" $HOOK_URL | jq -r '.id,.message'
 
     if [ -n "${EXTRA}" ]; then
-        "${LOCATION}/discord.sh" "${HOOK}" "${EXTRA}"
+        "${LOCATION}/discord-old.sh" "${HOOK}" "${EXTRA}"
     fi
 fi
 
diff --git a/discord-old.sh b/discord-old.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..1f43e10
--- /dev/null
+++ b/discord-old.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,79 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+LOCATION=`dirname "$0"`
+
+source "${LOCATION}/config.sh"
+
+if [[ $# -gt 1 ]]; then
+    HOOK_ARG="$1"
+    # sed removes spaces before each line
+    MESSAGE=`echo "${@:2}" | sed 's/^ *//' | sed 's/ *$//'`
+else
+    # sed removes spaces before each line
+    MESSAGE=`echo "${@}" | sed 's/^ *//' | sed 's/ *$//'`
+
+    if [[ "$MESSAGE" == "general" ]] || [[ "$MESSAGE" == "block" ]] || [[ "$MESSAGE" == "restake" ]] || [[ "$MESSAGE" == "storage" ]]; then
+        HOOK_ARG="$MESSAGE"
+        MESSAGE=''
+    fi
+fi
+
+if [[ -z "$MESSAGE" ]]; then
+    echo 'no message provided'
+    exit 0
+fi
+
+# if message is too long, split it, and after curl, recursively call with remainder
+# 2k max, but we must account for escaping text in json, so limit to 90% capacity
+EXTRA="${MESSAGE:1800}"
+
+if [ -n "${EXTRA}" ]; then
+    MESSAGE="${MESSAGE:0:1800}"
+
+    # as an added elegance, when spliting into pieces, find the last \n newline,
+    # and break there instead, but only if the new smaller chunk is of sufficient size
+    chunk1=`echo "$MESSAGE" | head -n -1`
+    chunks=`echo "$MESSAGE" | tail -n 1`
+    if (( "${#chunk1}" >= 1000 )); then
+        MESSAGE="$chunk1"
+        EXTRA="${chunks}${EXTRA}"
+    fi
+fi
+
+
+# sed: rewrite json string, because "\u001b[m" needs to "\u001b[0m" instead
+# linux is fine with the missing zero, but discord needs it
+MESSAGE=`echo "${MESSAGE}" | jq -aRs . | sed 's/\\\\u001b\[m/\\\\u001b[0m/g'`
+HOOK="general"
+HOOK_URL=$DISCORD_GENERAL_HOOK
+
+case $HOOK_ARG in
+    block)
+        # force block format without color
+        if [[ "$MESSAGE" != *"\\u001b"* ]]; then
+            MESSAGE="\"\`\`\`${MESSAGE:1:-1}\n\`\`\`\""
+            # just here to resolve formatting issue in vim "`"
+        fi
+        ;;
+    restake)
+        HOOK="restake"
+        HOOK_URL=$DISCORD_RESTAKE_HOOK
+        ;;
+    storage)
+        HOOK="storage"
+        HOOK_URL=$DISCORD_STORAGE_HOOK
+        ;;
+esac
+
+# if color detected, update message from "<content>" to "```ansi <content>```", so it gets displayed correctly
+if [[ "$MESSAGE" == *"\\u001b"* ]]; then
+    MESSAGE="\"\`\`\`ansi\n${MESSAGE:1:-1}\n\`\`\`\""
+    # just here to resolve formatting issue in vim "`"
+fi
+
+curl -s -H "Content-Type: application/json" -X POST -d "{\"username\": \"${DISCORD_SERVER_NAME}\", \"content\": ${MESSAGE}}" $HOOK_URL | jq -r '.id,.message'
+
+if [ -n "${EXTRA}" ]; then
+    "${LOCATION}/discord-old.sh" "${HOOK}" "${EXTRA}"
+fi
+
diff --git a/discord.sh b/discord.sh
index d61c9b4..40b77f6 100755
--- a/discord.sh
+++ b/discord.sh
@@ -1,79 +1,170 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 
-LOCATION=`dirname "$0"`
+# discord colors are standard 6-digit hex, but converted to a base-10 integer
+# colors taken from https://xkcd.com/color/rgb/
+# and built into a palette based on https://sashamaps.net/docs/resources/20-colors/
+#
+# DARK:   maroon(#650021), brown(#653700),   olive(#6e750e),  teal(#029386),   navy(#01153e),     black(#000000),
+# BRIGHT: red(#e50000),    orange(#f97306),  yellow(#ffff14), lime(#aaff32),   green(#15b01a),
+#                          cyan(#00ffff),    blue(#0343df),   purple(#7e1e9c), magenta(#c20078),  grey(#929591),
+# LIGHT:  pink(#ff81c0),   apricot(#ffb16d), beige(#e6daa6),  mint(#9ffeb0),   lavender(#c79fef), white(#ffffff).
 
-source "${LOCATION}/config.sh"
+declare -A colors
+colors=(
+    ["maroon"]=6619169 ["brown"]=6633216    ["olive"]=7238926   ["teal"]=168838    ["navy"]=70974        ["black"]=0
+    ["red"]=15007744   ["orange"]=16347910  ["yellow"]=16776980 ["lime"]=11206450  ["green"]=1421338
+                       ["cyan"]=65535       ["blue"]=213983     ["purple"]=8265372 ["magenta"]=12714104  ["grey"]=9606545
+    ["pink"]=16744896  ["apricot"]=16757101 ["beige"]=15129254  ["mint"]=10485424  ["lavender"]=13082607 ["white"]=16777215
+)
 
-if [[ $# -gt 1 ]]; then
-    HOOK_ARG="$1"
-    # sed removes spaces before each line
-    MESSAGE=`echo "${@:2}" | sed 's/^ *//' | sed 's/ *$//'`
-else
-    # sed removes spaces before each line
-    MESSAGE=`echo "${@}" | sed 's/^ *//' | sed 's/ *$//'`
+print_usage() {
+    echo "Usage: $0 [-h hook-url], [-c color], [-d [distinct-name] | -t title] message..."
+}
 
-    if [[ "$MESSAGE" == "general" ]] || [[ "$MESSAGE" == "block" ]] || [[ "$MESSAGE" == "restake" ]] || [[ "$MESSAGE" == "storage" ]]; then
-        HOOK_ARG="$MESSAGE"
-        MESSAGE=''
+# handle all arguments provided
+while getopts 'h:c:d:t:' flag; do
+    case "$flag" in
+        h)
+            if [[ "$OPTARG" == "http"*"?wait=true" ]]; then
+                hookUrl="$OPTARG"
+            else
+                echo "Invalid hook-url provided, should be something like:"
+                echo "https://discord.com/api/webhooks/***?wait=true"
+                print_usage
+                exit 1
+            fi
+            ;;
+        c)
+            if [[ -v "colors[$OPTARG]" ]]; then
+                color="$OPTARG"
+            else
+                echo "Invalid color provided, colors available:"
+                echo "maroon, brown,   olive,  teal,   navy,     black,"
+                echo "red,    orange,  yellow, lime,   green,"
+                echo "        cyan,    blue,   purple, magenta,  grey,"
+                echo "pink,   apricot, beige,  mint,   lavender, white."
+                print_usage
+                exit 1
+            fi
+            ;;
+        d)
+            # '-d' without value is allowed, but generates a warning
+            # in which case we'll use name of parent command with arguments
+            # whatever the distinct key, we clean it up, since it will be used as a filename
+            if [[ -z "$OPTARG" ]]; then
+                distinct=$(ps -o args= $PPID | sed 's/[\/\|]/_/g')
+                echo "Warning: doing distinct by parent, with key '$distinct'" >&2
+            else
+                distinct=$(echo "$OPTARG" | sed 's/[\/\|]/_/g')
+            fi
+            ;;
+        t)
+            # title, for supplying a title, without activing the "distinct" feature
+            title="$OPTARG"
+            ;;
+        *)
+            echo "unknown option provided '$flag'"
+            print_usage
+            exit 1
+            ;;
+    esac
+done
+shift "$((OPTIND-1))"
+
+# load in defaults from config
+scriptRoot=$(dirname "$0")
+configFile="$scriptRoot/config.sh"
+if [[ -f "$configFile" ]]; then
+    source "$configFile"
+
+    botName="$DISCORD_SERVER_NAME"
+    if [[ -z "$hookUrl" ]]; then
+        hookUrl="$DISCORD_GENERAL_HOOK"
     fi
 fi
 
-if [[ -z "$MESSAGE" ]]; then
-    echo 'no message provided'
-    exit 0
+# stop if we have no hook to send message to
+if [[ -z "$hookUrl" ]]; then
+    echo "Discord Hook URL must either be in config file, or supplied via '-h' argument."
+    exit 1
 fi
 
-# if message is too long, split it, and after curl, recursively call with remainder
-# 2k max, but we must account for escaping text in json, so limit to 90% capacity
-EXTRA="${MESSAGE:1800}"
+# get full message, read from arguments
+message=$(echo "$@" | sed 's/^ *//' | sed 's/ *$//')
 
-if [ -n "${EXTRA}" ]; then
-    MESSAGE="${MESSAGE:0:1800}"
+# if we have no message, read from stdin instead
+if [[ -z "$message" ]]; then
+    message=$(cat - | sed 's/^ *//' | sed 's/ *$//')
+fi
+
+# sed removes blank lines from the end of the message
+fullMsg=$(echo "$message" | sed -e :a -e '/^\n*$/{$d;N;ba' -e '}')
+
+# if message is too long, split it, and after curl, recursively call with remainder
+# 4k max, but we must account for escaping text in json, so limit to 90% capacity
+extra="${message:3600}"
+
+if [ -n "$extra" ]; then
+    message="${message:0:3600}"
 
     # as an added elegance, when spliting into pieces, find the last \n newline,
     # and break there instead, but only if the new smaller chunk is of sufficient size
-    chunk1=`echo "$MESSAGE" | head -n -1`
-    chunks=`echo "$MESSAGE" | tail -n 1`
+    chunk1=$(echo "$message" | head -n -1)
+    chunks=$(echo "$message" | tail -n 1)
     if (( "${#chunk1}" >= 1000 )); then
-        MESSAGE="$chunk1"
-        EXTRA="${chunks}${EXTRA}"
+        message="$chunk1"
+        extra="$chunks$extra"
     fi
 fi
 
-
 # sed: rewrite json string, because "\u001b[m" needs to "\u001b[0m" instead
 # linux is fine with the missing zero, but discord needs it
-MESSAGE=`echo "${MESSAGE}" | jq -aRs . | sed 's/\\\\u001b\[m/\\\\u001b[0m/g'`
-HOOK="general"
-HOOK_URL=$DISCORD_GENERAL_HOOK
+message=$(echo "$message" | jq -aRs . | sed 's/\\u001b\[m/\\u001b[0m/g')
 
-case $HOOK_ARG in
-    block)
-        # force block format without color
-        if [[ "$MESSAGE" != *"\\u001b"* ]]; then
-            MESSAGE="\"\`\`\`${MESSAGE:1:-1}\n\`\`\`\""
-            # just here to resolve formatting issue in vim "`"
-        fi
-        ;;
-    restake)
-        HOOK="restake"
-        HOOK_URL=$DISCORD_RESTAKE_HOOK
-        ;;
-    storage)
-        HOOK="storage"
-        HOOK_URL=$DISCORD_STORAGE_HOOK
-        ;;
-esac
+message="\"\`\`\`ansi\n${message:1:-1}\n\`\`\`\""
 
-# if color detected, update message from "<content>" to "```ansi <content>```", so it gets displayed correctly
-if [[ "$MESSAGE" == *"\\u001b"* ]]; then
-    MESSAGE="\"\`\`\`ansi\n${MESSAGE:1:-1}\n\`\`\`\""
-    # just here to resolve formatting issue in vim "`"
+# handle distinct stuff
+oldMsg=""
+if [[ -n "$distinct" ]]; then
+    if [[ -f "$scriptRoot/distinct/$distinct.msg" ]]; then
+        oldMsg=$(cat "$scriptRoot/distinct/$distinct.msg")
+    fi
+
+    if [[ "$fullMsg" = "$oldMsg" ]]; then
+        echo "duplicate message"
+        exit 0
+    fi
+
+    echo "$fullMsg" > "$scriptRoot/distinct/$distinct.msg"
 fi
 
-curl -s -H "Content-Type: application/json" -X POST -d "{\"username\": \"${DISCORD_SERVER_NAME}\", \"content\": ${MESSAGE}}" $HOOK_URL | jq -r '.id,.message'
-
-if [ -n "${EXTRA}" ]; then
-    "${LOCATION}/discord.sh" "${HOOK}" "${EXTRA}"
+# build content json
+content="{"
+if [[ -n "$botName" ]]; then
+    content="$content\"username\": $(echo "$botName" | jq -aRs .), "
 fi
+content="$content\"embeds\":[{\"description\": $message"
+if [[ -n "$color" ]]; then
+    content="$content, \"color\": ${colors[$color]}"
+fi
+if [[ -n "$distinct" ]] || [[ -n "$title" ]]; then
+    content="$content, \"title\": $(echo "${distinct-$title}" | jq -aRs .)"
+fi
+content="$content}]}"
 
+# actually send the message to discord
+curl -s -H "Content-Type: application/json" -X POST -d "$content" "$hookUrl" | jq -r '.id,.message'
+
+# if the message was too long, send along the rest as a separate message
+if [ -n "$extra" ]; then
+    script=$(basename "$0")
+    args=("-h" "$hookUrl")
+    # when we call again, we convert distinct into a title
+    if [[ -n "$distinct" ]] || [[ -n "$title" ]]; then
+        args+=("-t" "${distinct-$title}")
+    fi
+    if [[ -n "$color" ]]; then
+        args+=("-c" "$color")
+    fi
+    "$scriptRoot/$script" ${args[@]} "$extra"
+fi